In recent days we’ve all read about the Ahmed Mohamed and the digital clock he built that was mistaken for a bomb. What we haven’t been reading about is his father’s rather interesting past when it comes to stirring up trouble.

The New York Daily News reported that Mohamed’s father, Mohamed ElHassan, has a history of making the news by “standing up” for his faith.

“One of the earliest instances of the standout citizen making national news was in 2011, when he sensationally stood up to an anti-Islamic pastor and defended the Koran as its defense attorney. That mock trial at a Florida church ended with the book’s burning, to ElHassan’s claimed shock,” the Daily News reported.

Apparently “standout citizen” and troublemaker now mean the same thing, at least to the Daily News.

ElHassan also ran for president of Sudan, his homeland, in 2010. He ran again this year from his home in Texas.

ElHassan appeared to be milking every second of airtime out of this controversy he can possibly get. He has taken an innocent mistake and blown it way out of proportion, making some wonder if perhaps he staged this whole event just for the publicity.

In a world where increasing numbers of Americans are being arrested for joining or attempting to join the Islamic State group, Americans have every right to be cautious. “See something, say something” is, after all, a campaign of the Obama administration.

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